The Power of the Stars
by Yoshimaster
Summary: An indepth retelling of Super Mario 64, ranging from the origin of the Stars to the final battle with Bowser.
1. Prologue: The Origin of the Stars

**Prologue- The Origin of the Stars**

The northern ridge of Star World provided a panoramic view of the heavens, as they were in their purest form, unobstructed by any atmospheric haze. To be sure, one could see the heavens anywhere on Star World, but when one stood on the very edge of that northern ridge… _there_ was a sight to be seen. When land disappeared behind you and all you could see was space, it was not hard to imagine that you were blissfully adrift that infinite sea.

Space. That name alone implied emptiness. Of course, space, as the inhabitants of Plit knew it, was the harshest poison in the entire Universe. Assaulting all five senses until death arrived, it was a hazard that mortal things would do well to avoid. But to the immortal Star Spirit, space was an infinitely beautiful work of art laid out at the beginning of time for all to behold in wonder and awe. From that northern ridge, one could see that there was nothing empty about it. Swirls of milky white, formed by billions of stars, stretched across the cosmos. Quasars and supernovas created colorful spatters that, in their unfathomable size, were still visible, though many light-years away. In front of that backdrop, individual stars were scattered, each with enough sparkle to forever dazzle the eye. Planets, meteors, comets, and asteroids were seen also, and what these lacked in brilliance, they made up for in uniqueness. And then, bathing all in its light, was the nearest star, Sol. The sun.

It was an image the mortals on Plit have only ever had a glimpse of. The pure view granted to Star World would be too bright to be seen by mortal eyes. Of course, that was no problem to the Star Spirits. Star World in itself was so bright that the dimmest shadow would outshine a torch. In fact, that trait was what gave Star World its name. It was not a star at all; such close proximity would vaporize every living thing on Plit. Star World was made of a solid substance, but this material, and everything on it, was so bright that the entire thing looked like a star in the night sky.

Standing on the northern ridge, a Star Spirit was enjoying this extraordinary view. It was a dark time for every one of these heavenly sprites, and though the brilliance of their bodies had not dimmed a bit, the cloud of uncertainty hovered over all. This Star Spirit, wishing to calm his mind, spent his few free minutes there on that beloved ridge.

The sound of approaching feet sounded on the grass. The Star Spirit bowed his head. He was no longer alone. His time here was over.

"Geno, come quickly," his companion said. "The time has come. Eldstar calls for all to gather at the Haven. We must make haste."

The clear call of a silver trumpet sounded from across the mountain that separated the northern ridge from the Star Haven. Both Geno and his companion turned their heads and looked.

"Ah, see!" cried the other. "Come, Geno! We mustn't delay!"

"Yes, Skoltar. I know."

Geno turned and followed after Skoltar. The two glided across the pale-blue meadows and sparkling rivers, eventually coming to the mountain, which they passed over by the quickest path.

Geno paused, only once, to observe the Star Haven far below. It was an open-air palace composed of sculptures, pillars, and pedestals, all built from crystal, forming ten hexagonal layers. At the center of all this, shining like a beacon, was the purpose of the Star Spirits themselves: the Star Rod. Guarding the southern border of this palace were hundreds of Star Spirits, appearing like candles from the mountaintop. Geno looked up, seeing if he could spot the Enemy. He was relieved that he could not. If the Enemy was visible, then Geno was too late.

They arrived at the Haven moments later. Eldstar, the king of Star World, turned and frowned at Geno from behind his furry eyebrows and bushy moustache.

"I apologize, sire," Geno began. "I was only…"

"This is no time for excuses," Eldstar said quietly. "You know the urgency of the situation. You were there when we saw the Star Rod's prophecy of the coming Enemy. This is the time to make the final preparations. I will berate you later, if it is necessary. And if it is possible."

With a bow, Geno departed to the Great Battle Chest to retrieve what he would need for war. He noticed other Star Spirits already wearing those items. Adamantium armor was snapped into place; a golden shield was strapped to the forearm; a gilded helmet was pushed onto the head; a diamond broadsword was placed in the hand. The glory and honor of battle radiated from the Star Spirits' bodies like the light of two-dozen stars. It was into these ranks of heavenly warriors that Geno stepped.

The Enemy was visible now. It appeared to be a shadowy form, but looks were deceiving. As it came closer, it was revealed to be a partially human form, fused to a mass of jagged crystal. Its body was bulky, and its skin was heavily tattooed. This monstrous apparition flew into the Star World; and an army of crystals followed with it.

"The great Culex," Eldstar boomed. "We know why you have come. You seek to expand your power beyond your own Universe. I, Eldstar of the Star Spirits, am standing before you now to tell you that your journey ends here. We cannot allow you to enter Plit. We _shall_ not allow you to enter Plit. Leave now, and save yourself the inevitable bloodshed."

Culex laughed at this. "Bloodshed?" he shouted. "_Bloodshed?_ Eldstar, Bloodshed is a mortal concept. And if you are mortal, then you stand no chance against me. Look at my army. I do not bring soldiers here. I bring the elements, and they fight with me."

Culex lifted a hand. The nearest crystal, a red one, fell like a dead weight and struck the ground with a deep rumble. The Star Spirits were staring at their shattered reflections in the geometric surface, when the crystal split along a fault, reshaping its broken pieces until it stood as a new shape, with limbs and dual weapons. The crystal swung its massive swords threateningly, before assuming a fighting stance to hold while awaiting orders. Culex watched its creation come to life. Then he threw his head back and laughed.

"My crystals!" he bellowed. "My army! _Attack!_"

One by one, the rainbow of crystals fell. All across Star World, heavy thumps shook the ground. For a moment, the field in front of the Star Haven looked like a jewler's dream. The next, it was a mercenary's nightmare. Thousands of crystal soldiers, each with the strength to split trees and each with the endurance to survive explosions, marched toward the army of Star Spirits, eagerly swinging their mighty weapons.

Eldstar screamed, "_Go!_" and the Star Spirits were off, a flock of sunbeams chasing the darkness. They let out a battle cry that returned to their ears as a beautiful song as they lifted their weapons in anticipation. The shining Star Rod stood behind them as a sign of hope and determination. The crystals made no response to this. They made no battle cry, unless the dull thumps made by their march could be considered such a thing.

Suddenly the armies collided. Metal clanged against crystal. Glittering swords were ground against one another. Heavy bodies fell crashing to the ground. Attacks were made fiercely on both sides, cracking armor, shattering crystal. Bold spirits ran headlong into the crystal masses, attacking enemies on all sides.

Geno found himself in the core of the fray. He felt the air burn around him from the fire created by clashing weapons as he struck and parried weapons left and right. When his enemy was open, Geno jabbed forward with such force that his sword was driven completely through the crystal's body. He threw the body against the ground, shattering it into tiny pieces. He paused there, hearing a crack deep within the ground before necessity brought him back to reality. He lifted his sword in time to block a crystal's crossed swords. His arm began to buckle under the weight of those solid blocks; bits of crystal and diamond were sprinkled on his face. The crossed swords were coming dangerously close to his face; thinking at the last moment, he struck the crystal with the broad side of his shield. When the crystal fell, Geno fell on top of it and thrust his sword into the heart of its body, splitting it. This time, he certainly heard a crack deep underground.

Geno turned away from the fight and caught a glimpse of an atrocity. It was the monstrous Culex, gliding over the Star Haven, raising his arms to draw black energy from the cosmos. He was summoning his powers in preparation for an attack on the Star Rod!

Geno turned away and looked out across the battlefield. He saw Eldstar far off, smashing crystals left and right with a mace in each hand.

"Eldstar!" Geno cried. He stepped forward, knocking an advancing enemy down with his elbow. "Eldstar!"

When the king Star Spirit looked, Geno pointed at the Star Rod. Eldstar saw and understood, and with a nod, the two leapt forward to attack. Their weapons, Eldstar's maces and Geno's broadsword, caught Culex in the side, knocking him out of the air. Culex tumbled through two pillars and a statue, destroying all three. When he got up, there was a fire in his eyes.

"You have attempted to sneak out of the battle to pursue an act of sabotage," Eldstar said. "It is not only dishonorable. It is foolish."

"Very well, then," Culex growled. He reached down to the crystalline portion of his body, broke off two pieces, and held these up as dual weapons. "I'll bring the battle here."

There, the two Star Spirits fought, each parrying a single weapon and jabbing where Culex was open. His power was almost overwhelming, as Geno was nearly knocked off his feet each time the monster's attack connected. Yet, gradually, the two were wearing him down. Behind them, Culex could see bursts of colorful glitter explode into the sky, a sign that his crystals were being destroyed.

The battle was decided in a final bold move. Attempting to catch Eldstar off guard, Culex turned and brought both weapons down on the old Star Spirit's head. Eldstar blocked the attack, but just barely. It was enough for Geno to take advantage of his enemy's exposed position, leaping forward and burying his broadsword in Culex's side. Lightning flowed out of the wound like blood. Geno pulled back his sword, which shone brighter than ever. Culex dropped his weapons and reared back, roaring at the unbearable pain.

"You cannot win this battle," Eldstar said calmly. "I suggest you retreat to whatever place you came from before you die on foreign soil."

"This isn't over," Culex growled, clutching his wounded side. "I will return. You'll see. Someday, I _will_ return."

His final warning thus declared, Culex beckoned toward the heavens and swooped away, followed closely by his crystal army, which had shrunk by nearly half.

After wiping his broadsword clean, Geno sheathed his weapon and came to Eldstar's side. "Are you all right, sire?" he asked.

"Yes, yes," Eldstar breathed. "I thank you, Geno. Perhaps I will not berate you after all." He allowed himself a brief chuckle before returning to the seriousness of the matter. "We have won the battle, but all is not well. Star World has been damaged, and what's worse, the Haven has been contaminated. We must begin repair, and quickly."

Geno nodded. He said, "Yes. I heard cracks in the ground. It would appear that the damage is extensive."

Eldstar nodded. He turned away to face the army of Star Spirits, which was still hovering above the battlefield, not sure how to take to the victory. "Search Star World top and bottom for all visible damage! We will begin repairing the damage once all reports are in!"

Each giving a twinkle as a sign of affirmation, the army dispersed, dropping its armor and weaponry on the field so to explore the beloved Star World as they were meant to, as free Star Spirits. The battlefield itself was unlike any seen on Plit. Places of combat were marked by pieces of gold, shards of crystal, and grains of diamond.

After returning his items to the battle chest, Geno drifted high above Star World before swooping down to the underside. Not only was Star World as bright as a star, but also it was shaped as one. This was especially apparent from the underside. The place's bedrock, an unnatural metal the color of gold, stretched across the length and breadth of Star World. It was this metallic bedrock that had been cracked. Hundreds of fine cracks ran jaggedly from end to end. Geno frowned, for this would be difficult to repair. Difficult, but necessary.

As he came closer to inspect the cracks, Geno noticed something curious out of the corner of his eye. He looked, and saw what appeared to be hundreds of Star Spirits drifting down toward Plit. But upon closer inspection, he realized that they were actually pieces of Star World, which had fallen out of the cracks. After a moment of bewilderment, Geno returned to Eldstar and reported what he had seen.

Eldstar frowned up at the stars, as if in deep thought. "This is interesting indeed," he said. "Of course, we cannot retrieve them. Once something like that leaves the protection of Star World, it loses its purity. We cannot reattach them to their proper places."

"Then," said Geno. "Then, they are of no concern?"

"Goodness, no!" cried Eldstar. "They may have lost their purity, but on Plit, they will no doubt have incredible influence! No, you must organize a party to see that these star fragments find their way to safe places around the world. It is difficult to foresee what impact they will have in the future. We must therefore keep watch over them at all times."

Geno bowed, and then flew off to seek aid from the Star Spirits clustered around the cracks in the bedrock. Having gathered sufficient aid, he and his party journeyed down into Plit's atmosphere to execute the king's orders.

Many days later, Geno returned to Star World to report to Eldstar. When Star World came into sight, he could see progress being made on the damaged bedrock, as the cracks were being healed from the tips to the roots. When he came topside, he saw that the battlefield was now clean, and the replacement pillars at the Haven were actively being carved. He touched down near the king, who was watching the reconstruction from a pavilion.

"Geno, my boy, you have returned," Eldstar said proudly.

"We finished hiding the star fragments, sire," Geno began. "We took great care to space them out evenly across the globe. Thanks to the power of the star fragments, they will act as seeing stones, allowing us to monitor their conditions in the future."

"How many star fragments were there?" Eldstar asked.

Geno shook his head. "We did not make a conclusive count," he said, "But we estimated at least one hundred and fifty."

Eldstar nodded. It was not a huge amount. Nevertheless, he did not deny what he said earlier.

The star fragments would certainly influence the course of Plit's future.


	2. The Rising of the Storm

**Chapter One- The Rising of the Storm**

The sound of clinking chains echoed loudly in that vast cavern. Support struts reached from the darkness, past gargantuan stalactites, to a small corner of the cavern, where a doorway had been hammered out of a tunnel. Here, crude pulleys linked together by aging chains strained against the weight of a metal door. The door rose slowly, revealing further darkness beyond the cavern and tunnel. When, at last, the door was brought to a halt high above its resting place, a single torch could be seen, illuminating the creatures behind it.

Legs strutting proudly, tail swinging in wide arcs, the great Koopa King Bowser followed after his trail of guards. They led the way along a narrow path, mere feet from a bottomless pit that stretched across the better half of the cavern. This sight, which normally gave visitors a sinking feeling in their gut, was ignored by Bowser, who stared off in deep thought.

_The power of the Stars cannot be denied,_ Bowser was saying to himself. _Neither can their importance in the impending war._

Bowser knew all too well how powerful the Stars could be. Years earlier, during his first conquest on the Mushroom Kingdom, he first witnessed a Star in action. It was that plumber… that fat, despicable plumber! As the plumber was approaching the Mushroom Castle (which, at the moment, had been _Bowser's_ castle), a hundred of the best Koopa troops leapt from the shadows in a well-crafted ambush. It should have been an easy victory. It should have… but it wasn't. Without missing a beat, the plumber reached into his pants pocket and brought out what appeared to be a Star. The brilliance of the thing was enough to stun even the most battle-hardened Koopa, but it wouldn't end there. The Star seemed to disappear, and now, the plumber _himself_ was shining with unearthly brilliance! Tossing off one of his aggravatingly jovial catchphrases, the plumber ran headlong into the troops, killing them left and right. Bowser watched with amazement as the plumber created a trail of blackened Koopa shells as he made his way to the castle. Before Bowser knew it, the plumber was inside.

Because Bowser had thought that the ambush attack would undoubtedly be a success, his defense inside the castle wasn't very strong. The plumber fought effortlessly to the top, where he confronted Bowser in a short-lived fight. Bowser had counted himself lucky to be alive. Later, he would look upon the loss with great shame. It was a shame that he felt even now, in this cavern deep under ground.

Yes… the Stars were powerful. But it was a power that could be harnessed. Bowser spent his years of recuperation studying the Stars. Countless hours were spent squinting at faded manuscripts under torchlight. He traveled the world using the most hidden paths, taking days, weeks, months. He and his advisors spent well over a year crafting a plan for re-taking the Mushroom Castle. Now, the plan was finally in effect.

Bowser was on his way to see how well the plan was going.

A final clanking gate rolled out of the way, and Bowser was standing inside the final segment of the cave. It was a series of connected caverns, some built, others natural. Metal paths and wooden support structures made the winding caverns look foreboding. Knowledge of the cave's history didn't help dispel fears. Several times, the cave had to be evacuated because of lethal gas that had been freed from the cave's dark depths by penetrating pickaxes. The cave wasn't easy to evacuate; each time, most of the workers were dead before the gas was contained. And the gas wasn't the only thing that could kill. Bottomless pits, unexplored tunnels leading into darkness, and weak support structures were the cause for multiple casualties. It was for this that the place was dubbed "The Hazy Maze Cave."

Yet for all its deadly charm, it was one of Bowser's most important strongholds. Not only was the ore taken from the cave essential to Bowser's army, but also the cave's depth and its darkness made it an excellent hiding place for any power Stars he found in the course of the war.

Bowser approached the foreman of the cave. A Snifit wearing a gasmask and night-vision goggles, the foreman turned around and gave Bowser a nod.

"What's the situation?" Bowser growled.

"Excellent," the foreman replied. "We've had a few casualties, resulting from a cave-in at one of the more remote tunnels, but aside from that, we've been making very good progress. Production is up 58 percent, losses are down 9 percent, and morale is up 2 percent. We've also discovered an underground river that leads to… well, sir, you wouldn't believe me if I told you!"

Bowser raised an eyebrow. "Try me," he said.

The foreman chuckled. "This river," he said. "It leads to… heh, heh… it leads to the Mushroom Castle itself!"

Bowser's eyes widened. His plan would need revision. Strategic maneuvers, multiple operations, entire divisions were now obsolete thanks to this new bit of information. Such a path could make for the most effective of ambushes! "Explain," he said calmly.

The foreman cleared his throat. "We were digging through to an iron vein in the rock, when one of the workers fell through. When we sent a team to recover him, they reported hearing running water by the site where he fell. It appeared that, some thirty yards away, there was a river flowing in darkness.

"I sent two teams, one to go upstream and the other to go down. The one who went upstream didn't go far. After a mile or two, they encountered a waterfall coming down from an unreachable crack high in the ceiling. But the team that went downstream was gone for days. When they returned, they reported that the river eventually came to the outside, where it fell as a waterfall. They estimated that this was twelve to fifteen miles downstream. What's more, they reported that the waterfall is one of the sources of the Mushroom Castle's moat."

"And you give me this report based on the speculation of ignorant miners?" Bowser said, his voice growing dangerously quiet.

The foreman didn't appear to be put off by Bowser's anger. "I verified it myself, sir," he said. "And I swear to you, the first thing you can see by the mouth of the waterfall is the castle's red roof and billowing banners."

The smile returned to Bowser's face. "Very good," he said. "Make that river your top priority. Send some workers down there to make a civilized tunnel out of the river, with lighting and bridges and reasonably wide paths. Now, I must be off to check on the status of my other strongholds. I will return in two weeks, and I expect more good news then."

"Yes, sir," said the foreman. "Oh, and one last thing. This was found by an underground lake, not far from the river." The foreman reached into his pocket. What he brought out lit up the entire cavern.

Bowser snatched the Star from the foreman's outreaching arm. He cradled it in his hands and stared at it with unblinking eyes. It was like staring at the sun, but he ignored the pain. His smile broadened, revealing rows of sharp teeth.

"The power of the Stars," he whispered. "_Never_ fail me."

* * *

In another cave, many miles away, crowds of workers and soldiers were bustling with excitement. The nature of the cave, which served Bowser's purposes quite well, was very odd. There was an ordinary lake in a remote mountain range, which was the source of a great river. Because the lake had probably never been visited, and wasn't even named, no one ever questioned how a lake (of all things) could supply so much water to such a river. It was a Koopa scientist who first discovered the lake's unique nature. It was _very_ deep, more deep than the surrounding mountains were tall. At the bottom was a bubbling spring, along with something else: a tunnel. This winding tunnel went deep into the earth before coming back up into an underground lake. Here were several more springs, and plenty of dry ledges. It was the ideal dock for a submarine.

The result of many months of work was resting in the dock, ready to be deployed. The _Chieftain _was the Koopa fleet's first functional war submarine. Fashioned from triple-screwed iron plates, most of which were drawn from The Hazy Maze Cave, the tube-shaped vessel floated in the black water, illuminated by overhead lights. On either side was a painting of the Koopa "Chieftain" himself, painstakingly painted by Bowser's personal artist. Invisible on the underside were four holes, designed for the emission of torpedoes.

The workers and soldiers standing on the dock had reason to celebrate. All tests were successful; the submarine was working and ready for war. Their only regret was that Bowser was not there to see it, but the Koopa king had given them strict orders to deploy the _Chieftain_ as soon as it was ready. It would play a vital role in the coming war.

With all the crew onboard, the hatch was sealed shut and the cranes were released. The _Chieftain _floated idly for a moment while the engines started up. The Koopas standing on the dock saw water thrown into the air as the propellers turned at a faster and faster pace, all visible thanks to the overhead lights. All systems go, the sub dipped into the water, ignited a light of its own, and turned to navigate the tunnel. From there, it would surface in the topside lake, where the crew would perform several more tests. Then it would travel down the river until reaching the Mushroom Sea, where it would begin to carry out its duties.

The Koopa spectators could not help but cheer once again.

* * *

Scarcely visible through the mists of a dusky mountain range, a black army marched into the west. As night drew near and the sun no longer offered to create a glare, the blackness of the army grew more apparent, as did its equally dark intentions. Wagons of gunpowder, caravans of cannon, Chomps fastened to chains: soldiers dragged these things. Soldiers who were, in every practical sense, weapons themselves. Shrouded in mist and darkness, the Bobomb Army marched ever on, determined to reach its destination, where war was waiting.

"Sire!" called a purple Bobomb to the king. "It will be night soon. Navigating these hills will not be easy in the dark. We should stop and rest."

The Bobomb King turned toward his second-in-command. His moustache was twitching, a sign that his patience was wearing thin. "Stop?" he cried. "Rest? Treachery! To be weary is to be treasonous! We shall cross these mountains before morning. The Koopa King requests it!"

"But… the darkness…"

"Darkness be damned! You have enough incendiaries to destroy the planet and everything on it! Light some torches! But… _do_ take care not to set the whole convoy on fire. Wouldn't want to toss the baby out with the bath water, you know. Hurry along, now!"

And so, torches were lit, and the army marched on. Hours passed. There was only one explosion, when a bomb near the back, thinking he stepped on a coin, brought the torch too close to his face. The explosion alarmed the entire army, but a couple barks from the Bobomb King set them into motion again.

When at last the light of dawn spread from the mountains in the back, the Bobomb king stepped off the pebbly mountainside and landed on soft grass. He looked out across the field, which marked the halfway point between the Koopa's haven and the Mushroom Kingdom.

"What'd I tell you, lads?" the king said with a hearty laugh. "Said we'd cross the mountains before morning, and so we did."

The Bobomb Army marched onward. They began to make their way across the field, where they would wage war on the Mushroom Kingdom. However, they would momentarily meet opposition in those fields.War had come sooner than expected. But it had come nevertheless.

* * *

High above the mountains, in the sea of clouds that most mortal eyes never saw up close, a factory of sorts was in full swing. Thanks to a long history of studying Black Magic, the Koopa army had perfected the ability to hover effortlessly in the air. They used this ability to construct a fleet where no one would ever think to look: above the clouds.

Koopa workers flew to and fro, either with wings or clouds or flying carpets, carrying materials and forwarding orders. Several flying ships were under construction in the sky harbor. At least one was already patrolling the skies.

The foreman here was a Goomba of unusual rank. Although Goombas were normally at the bottom of the ladder, sent in the front lines to die, this one had made its way to the top through a long and vicious struggle against the tide. Its name was Mercury, and as a sign of its status, it had a pair of magical wings.

Mercury ruffled his wings as he watched the factory from the comfort of his home. As a miracle of architecture (and a great conversation piece), this house was the size of a castle and built of solid brick, yet the Koopas' magic managed to keep it aloft. If Mercury never went up another rank, he would die a happy Goomba.

A Paratroopa flew circles around the house as it made its way to Mercury's side. It bowed slightly before giving the news. Mercury smiled. He never failed to feel proud at the sight of Koopas bowing before him.

"Two of the ships are near completion," the Paratroopa said. "With your permission, we would like to begin construction on another."

"Not yet," Mercury said quickly. "King Bowser has something special in mind for the final ship. Finish the other ships, test them, and make sure they are properly outfitted with crew and ammunition. Await further orders in the meantime."

The Paratroopa's eyes brightened. "This final ship," he breathed. "Could it be… his majesty's flagship?"

Mercury grinned. "That's classified," he said.

The Paratroopa bowed again and took off. Mercury watched him go, and then turned his attention back toward the incomplete ships in the harbor. King Bowser was a cunning military leader. He had always admired that.

And what better way to exemplify that cunning than by bombarding your enemy from the skies?

* * *

In an uninhabitable desert, miles from civilization, there was a place that had been completely skinned of rock thanks to centuries of violent earthquakes. Lava flowed from several active volcanoes and filled crevices like lakes. Smoke surrounded the region, creating a sort of greenhouse effect; the lava would never cool. The sun was not visible, but the sun was not needed.

The workers here were as alive as any worker could be in that atmosphere. They were solid steel, kept in motion thanks to the Koopas' magic. They carried baskets of molten rock along unnatural paths. Some of this lava would be processed to create weapons and explosives. Some of it would be molded into bricks. But mostly, the lava was left as it was. It made the place secure, since no army could ever pass through. No walls were needed, nor guards. The place, called "Lethal Lava Land," was its own protection.

A wall of volcanoes separated the lake of lava harvesters from the lake with an island. This island rose high enough out of the boiling lava to be inhabitable for living beings. Here, workers were busy building a fortress. It would come to be one of the fortresses that Bowser himself would live in. It would become a perfect place to hide the Stars.

* * *

In the Arctic Circle, specially equipped soldiers were building a stronghold out of ice. This ice fortress, surrounded by snowy mountains, would become as impenetrable as the lakes of lava on the other side of the globe. There was even a moat of water around the fortress, filled with a chemical to keep it from freezing even though its temperature was way below freezing.

But unlike Lethal Lava Land, Bowser felt it was necessary to guard the ice fortress. Hexed snowmen were buried like landmines in the snowfields. If an intruder came too close, an armed snowman would leap out of the ground and beat the intruder senseless. Then the elements would finish the job. As if that wasn't enough, Bowser dropped a couple of the metal workers from Lethal Lava Land in near the moat. To ensure that an intruder would fall into the freezing water, the metal workers were instructed to tackle any intruders, making them lose their balance on the slippery ice. This quality earned the metal workers the nickname "Bullies."

Again, unlike Lethal Lava Land, the fortress under construction was not intended for Bowser to live in. Aside from the impossibility of heating an ice structure, Bowser felt it was not necessary for him, or anyone, to have to endure the sub-zero temperatures of the Artic. Instead, he planned to use it as a sort of storage facility. Simply drop a Star into the fortress, and if necessary, submerge it in water so it would become stuck in a frozen cube of ice. No one could possibly make it that far into the Artic and still have the energy to thaw massive ice blocks.

* * *

Within two weeks, Bowser was standing beside the underground river. The foreman had been true to his word. The rocky walls had been carved away; the floors had been polished; the river had been covered with bridges; the ceiling had been fitted with hanging lights. He watched the cold water flow into the distance.

The army behind him was patiently awaiting orders. Bowser turned and gave them a nod. The war was to begin today. It would begin on several fronts, including the sky and the sea. But the most important battle would begin here. If all went well, they would capture the heart of the opposition on the first day. Then they could consume the kingdom from the inside out.

"March," Bowser said.

That order was all that was necessary. Soon the tunnel was flooded with soldiers. All marched downstream, toward the Mushroom Castle.


	3. A Hero's Return

**Chapter Two- A Hero's Return**

Bells chimed in the market square of Toad Town. Paperboys lined up on the sidewalks, shouting for the attention of potential customers as the breeze took an occasional newspaper to the rooftops. Wild dogs hopped about pedestrians, begging for small morsels of food with their noisy barks. But neither the paperboys nor the dogs would get what they hoped for. The baker's shop was closed, as were the florist and the butchery. The pedestrians who always walked the streets, rain or shine, found themselves alone. Everyone who could afford to do so was celebrating indoors. For today was a holiday, and in the Mushroom Kingdom, holidays were worth celebrating.

But as empty as the town's streets were, the path leading into the hills and ultimately to the castle was absolutely deserted. The path was unpaved, simply because it was too busy for construction workers to work on without making it hopelessly congested. Today was an excellent day to begin construction work, but the city could find no laborer who wouldn't quit his job rather than work on this holiday.

As the day drifted into the afternoon, it appeared that the path wasn't entirely deserted. There was a plumber traveling the path to the castle, whistling his favorite tune. Alone though he was, he was under great scrutiny, for the green grasses and leafy trees around him were not empty. Chattering squirrels watched him from their nests, as did bluebirds from the thin branches they tend to alight upon. Rabbits scampering about stopped and stood, sniffing at the unsettled dust in the air that signaled the plumber's approach. Field mice and gophers, having sensed tremors in the ground caused by approaching footsteps, fled into the wilderness. Taking no notice of all this, the plumber walked on.

The plumber paused and stared up at the castle that stood beyond the golden gate. It was a sight he had not seen for some time. He sighed. The breeze gently rippled his green sleeves as he stood there. Shifting his backpack and pulling his cap over his eyes, Luigi walked on.

He stopped in front of the gate and rapped his knuckles on the bars. There was a click from somewhere inside, and the gate swung free. Luigi pushed it with his hands and walked into the castle's front yard. Suddenly he stopped. There was a rustling in the bushes to the right. He heard it again. It was definitely not a rabbit. It was something much larger.

"I know you're there, Yoshi," he said aloud. "You can come on out now. There's no point in pouncing if the element of surprise is gone."

He looked around, waiting for a response. There was a thrashing in the bushes to the left as a flock of birds lifted off and scattered into the blue sky. Luigi glanced at the disturbed bushes out of the corner of his eye, but saw nothing.

"Yoshi. Oh, Yoshi!" he called.

As soon as he stopped speaking, he noticed that the wind was ruffling his hair. His cap was gone. He rubbed his hands over his head, and then spun around. There, on the path behind him, was the perpetrator. A green bundle of energy with large eyes and an active nose, Yoshi grinned up at Luigi, sucking on the cap in his mouth.

"Give me _that!_" Luigi cried, snatching the cap from Yoshi. "Aw, you slobbered all over it. I just washed it, too."

Yoshi giggled. "Surprised you, didn't I?" he said.

"No," said Luigi, tucking the cap into his backpack and placing a clean one on his head. "I knew you were there, so technically, I was expecting any kind of response."

"Oh, yeah right," said Yoshi, rolling his great big eyes. "I bet I could've even jumped on your head without you noticing. Like _this!_"

Yoshi leapt, but came short. He found himself clutching Luigi's backpack, sagging down to his lower back.

"C'mon, enough of that." Luigi swiped at Yoshi, but the little green dinosaur ducked out of the way. "I have something really important in there. It's for the Princess."

"Wow! Something important? Hey, you don't mean this, do you?" Yoshi grabbed the drool-covered hat from the backpack and hopped away, placing the cap on his own head.

"Has the Princess been feeding you sugar?" Luigi sighed. "Speaking of Peach, where is she? I arrived without notice, you know. Is she here? The front door isn't locked, is it?"

"No, no," said Yoshi. "I was just out here because I thought today would be a great day to catch rabbits. And it was… until you came. But hey, why chase rabbits when there are plumbers running around?"

Yoshi jumped again. This time, Luigi was ready. He also jumped, achieving a height three times that of Yoshi's. When he came back down, he landed squarely on Yoshi's saddle.

"Ha!" Luigi cried. "What'd I say about that element of surprise, huh?"

"Ok, you win," said Yoshi with a cough. "C'mon. Uncle, uncle!"

"Not so fast. I want you to do five laps around this lawn with me on your back. Giddiyup!"

Neither of them had paid much attention to the castle during their quarrel. Now, when Peach called from the bridge across the moat, she caught them both by surprise.

"_Luigi!_"

Yoshi jumped, causing Luigi to fall off his back. Both head turned up to look at Peach's disapproving figure. She stood with gloved hands on her hips and furrowed eyebrows across her pretty face. Luigi swallowed hard. Peach had scolded him before for "bullying" Yoshi, and today must certainly be the last straw. He looked at Yoshi, who was now putting on a face that said he was the victim the whole time.

"Princess Peach," Luigi breathed. He attempted a bow, but was still so disoriented that he fell over. "Listen, I know this looks bad, but…"

"Luigi!"

Peach's voice was softer this time. Suddenly, Luigi knew that she, too, had been play-acting. She opened her arms and smiled. Luigi stood up, dusted himself off, and walked into Peach's arms. She gave him a gentle hug, then stepped back to look into his face.

"You've returned at last," she said happily. "Were you successful? How many did you bring? Where's Mario? He didn't… oh, no. Did he?"

"Relax," Luigi said coolly. "Mario's still at the pad. He thought that, since he did most of the work (supposedly), he deserved to stay at home and rest. As for our success… well, take a look."

He dropped his backpack and, stooping over it, unbuttoned the largest pocket. Light shone from the bag, causing Peach to shield her eyes.

"Oh!" she cried. "They're so bright… how can you stand it?"

Luigi shrugged. "They're not like the sun," he said. "If you stare at them long enough, you don't burn your eyes out. Eventually, you get used to their brightness. Me, I hardly notice it anymore."

He dipped his hands into the bag, picked up what appeared to be a handful of the bright objects, and held them out to Peach. Timidly, she dropped her hand and squinted at them.

"How many?" she asked.

"Eight," Luigi answered. "Over the course of four months, Mario and I found eight Power Stars."

"Eight?" Peach cried. "_Eight_? Why, that's wonderful!"

"I suppose," said Luigi. "But we traveled so many miles, endured so much hardship… I know this will sound greedy, but I sort of wish we had found more."

Peach put a hand on his shoulder. "Don't," she said sternly. "Don't you _dare_ think so little of your accomplishments. Here are eight more Stars that are safe from Bowser's grasp. You know how eager he is to get them. In a sense, it is eight fewer Stars that Bowser could have gotten. And you know what? Now, the Mushroom Castle is endowed with the power of _one hundred and twenty _Stars. That is the achievement of a lifetime."

Luigi stared into Peach's bright blue eyes. He looked down at the collection of Stars in her hands, and nodded. "Yeah," he said. "Yeah. It does add up, doesn't it?"

"Of course," Peach said, giving him a reassuring smile. "Now, I must first go put these in the safe, and then, we shall celebrate! Most of the staff is gone for the holiday, unfortunately… but what's a female who can't cook? I'll bake you two a cake! You can come too, Yoshi!"

"_Yahoo!_" cried Yoshi, clapping his hands with glee.

Luigi did a double take. "I, uh, guess I'll go get Mario," he said.

"No, you should rest." Peach beckoned for Luigi to enter the castle with her. "I know a way that is much faster. Unreliable, perhaps, but faster."

Luigi nodded, and followed Peach into the castle. Yoshi stood watching a butterfly go by, until, realizing he was alone, he scampered through the front door. A few minutes later, Peach appeared at her balcony, holding a letter and a whistle. She sounded the whistle, scaring away several finches from her flowerbeds. She waited patiently. Soon, the sound of flapping wings sounded from above the castle. A Parakoopa, wearing a leather cap and goggles, dropped down from above.

"Parakarry here, at your service!" the Parakoopa piped cheerfully.

"Here," said Peach, handing him the letter. "Take this to Plumber's Pad."

"Right away, ma'am!" Parakarry said with a salute. He turned and began to fly off.

"Ah, ah, ah! Parakarry?" Peach said suddenly. When Parakarry turned around, she shook a finger and winked. "Don't lose it this time."

"Well, uh, yes ma'am!" He offered a shaky salute, and then took off soaring.

As Parakarry flew into the sky amidst the fluffy white clouds, he heard musical chimes drifting from town. He looked down at the castle, which had shrunk considerably. He reached into his mailbag and pulled out a map, dropping a few letters in the process.

"Well, let's see here," he said, staring at the map and scratching his head. "Plumber's Pad is… here. Toad Town is… here. Now, I go… east, is it? Oh, wait, I'm holding the map upside down."

Suddenly, Parakarry bumped heads with another Koopa of the skies. Peach's letter nearly dropped from his bag, but he saved it with fumbling hands. He gave an instinctive salute toward the other Koopa.

"Top of the morning, Lakitu-1," Parakarry said nervously. "Or, uh, I guess that would be, uh, top of the afternoon."

Lakitu-1 simply laughed. "Hello there, Parakarry," he said. He did a quick look-over to see if his camera was damaged. "Where are you going in such a hurry, pray tell?"

Parakarry adjusted his goggles. "Well, uh, you see… Princess Peach gave me this letter. I'm supposed to give it to Mario at Plumber's Pad. I… uh, seem to have lost my map. Do you have any idea where Plumber's Pad is?"

"Sure." Lakitu-1 pointed to a small cottage on the outskirts of Toad Town, near a thin stream coming from the mountains. "It's over there. Just make sure you don't… wait, wait! _Mario?_ Mario's here?"

"Why, yes," Parakarry answered, glancing around as if he were in trouble.

"When did he arrive?"

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe the Princess knows. All I know is I have to give him this letter as soon as possible. You know."

"All right, then. Take care, Parakarry."

With a salute, Parakarry dived down toward the cottage by the stream. Lakitu-1 watched him go. Then he shook his head and slapped himself. "Mario's _back!_" he said. "Probably just arrived, too! Wow! This would be _excellent_ news coverage! I'll just wait for him to appear, and then, _bam,_ camera's rolling!"

Lakitu-1 kissed his camera and disappeared behind the mountains, where he would wait for Mario to appear. Meanwhile, Parakarry had arrived at Plumber's Pad without further trouble. He placed the letter in the mailbox, shouted "Mail call!" and fluttered off.

There was a moment of silence. Then, as the front door was kicked wide open, the plumber himself appeared in all his glory. Blue jeans ironed flat, red shirt rippling in the wind, moustache neatly trimmed, gloved hands balled at the sides, Mario was the epitome of plumbing, having reached an immortal status that all others only dreamed of. He looked around, hoping to catch a glimpse of the departing Parakarry. But he never did. To that day, he had never once seen Parakarry's face.

With a hop, Mario descended to the grass. He walked wordlessly to the mailbox, opened it, and took out the letter. It was pink and closed with a star-shaped seal, both sure signs that it was Peach's. He stuck his pinky under the flap, pulled it open, and unfolded the paper inside. It wasn't a long letter, and was probably done in haste. Yet Peach's handwriting was as fine as ever, and her signature was still the loveliest to be seen.

_Dear Mario,_

_Please come to the castle. I have baked a cake for you._

_--Yours truly,_

_Princess Toadstool; PEACH_

Mario folded the letter and tucked it into his back pocket. He looked out at Toad Town and frowned. He dreaded having to walk among the Mushroom people so soon after arriving from such a long adventure. They would grovel at his feet, asking all sorts of questions when the most he could ask for was a little rest. He looked past the city toward the green hills. He could just barely make out the highest tower of the castle.

"There's more than one way to get to the Mushroom Castle," he muttered.

He removed a plank from the side of the cottage and pressed a button. Suddenly, a nearby boulder split in two, and a shiny green pipe rose from the ground. Mario leapt into the pipe. It sank into the ground, and the boulder reassembled itself.

Filming all this from the sky, Lakitu-1 raised an eyebrow as Mario disappeared into the pipe. He had a hunch as to where it would lead, though. Pausing the film, he turned and glided toward the castle.


	4. The Castle's Breach

**Chapter Three- The Castle's Breach**

"Now, where is it? Oh, yes! There's the cookbook! Let's see here… oh, Toad will you get the cake mix, please? No, not you, Luigi. You're supposed to be resting. Oh, careful Yoshi! Those eggs aren't very… ooh, there's another mess to be cleaned up. Oh dear. Toad, that cake mix!"

As clear a greenhorn as anyone could be, Peach ran back and forth in the royal kitchen, her pink-and-white checkered apron trailing after her. Already, her arms were splattered with ingredients, and she hadn't even begun working on the cake yet. Toad frantically tried to carry out Peach's orders, all the while keeping an eye on Yoshi, who was constantly finding ways to make things worse. Luigi, meanwhile, sat in a chair in a corner of the kitchen, nervously watching the spectacle and occasionally covering his head whenever a dish was smashed or an ingredient was sent flying.

"Oh, my! This cookbook is in French! Well, maybe I can still get a passing understanding of it. Does _le_ mean the same thing as _lb?_ If only Chef Torte was here… _Yoshi!_ Not the cupboard! Toad, catch him!"

Toad did catch Yoshi, but not the stacks of dishes that were brought down with him. Dozens of plates were smashed in an instant. Peach skipped about to avoid getting cut by a sliding ceramic piece. Peach buried her head in her apron and groaned. Then, everyone paused, listening. There was a bugle call coming from outside.

"The call of the guards?" Peach wondered. "What on earth could they be calling for? Toad, go see what it's all about."

"Yes, Princess," Toad said, with a bow. He looked over the ruinous kitchen one last time, before departing. Luigi watched him go.

"May I?" Luigi asked.

Peach motioned with her arm. "Go ahead," she said quietly.

Luigi was glad for the chance to leave the room. As the door shut behind him, he heard the sound of Yoshi overturning the cake mix, followed by another one of Peach's groans. He shook his head and climbed the steps out of the basement.

As Toad opened the door from the basement to the foyer, he heard the bugle call a second time. Except this one was cut short. Feeling a tinge of alarm, he walked across the foyer to the front door, which he opened without a thought. It never occurred to him how urgent the situation might have been.

As soon as he was through the front door, he saw that the front lawn was filled with Koopa soldiers, without an inch to spare. He looked toward the waterfall. A magical staircase had been created, leading from the mouth of the falls down to the edge of the moat. He turned his attention back to the front lawn. At the head of all these soldiers, grinning his toothy grin, was the King of the Koopas himself, Bowser. Surrounding him was a half-circle of Magikoopas, their wand above their heads. Toad looked into the sky and saw the Mushroom guards, every single one of them, encased in magical prisons.

"Am I interrupting anything?" Bowser hissed. Behind him, the Magikoopas simultaneously drove their wands into the ground. With a flash, the guards vanished.

"_Princess!_" Toad screamed. He turned around and threw open the door, screaming, "_Princess! Go, Princess!_"

Bowser nodded to the Magikoopas, and the one to his left lifted his wand. In the wink of an eye, Toad found himself encased in a magical prison. He drifted toward Bowser until they were face-to-face. Bowser said nothing; he simply grinned triumphantly, driving his piercing red eyes into Toad's beady ones. A moment later, Toad disappeared.

Luigi heard all this from the foyer. Without a second thought, he slipped into the basement, flew down the stairs, and stormed into the kitchen.

"_Peach!_" he screamed.

Both Yoshi and the Princess stared at him with gaping eyes. Immediately, Peach knew something was wrong. She saw it in his face; more specifically, she saw fear in his face. With a sickening feeling in her stomach, she realized that Luigi wasn't afraid for himself, but afraid for her.

"_The castle is breached! The castle is breached!_" Luigi shouted. "_You must come quickly!_"

Peach opened her mouth to speak, but was stopped when Luigi grabbed her by the hand and forcefully dragged her out of the kitchen. He looked around quickly, saw the stairs, and led her up to the hall leading to the courtyard. There was the closest entrance to the underground shelter built specifically for Peach's protection. It even had a small tunnel that led into the wilderness, in case the shelter had to be evacuated. There was but one caveat: she mustn't be seen going inside.

Luigi felt resistance halfway down the hall. Peach was jerking her arm away from his grip. "_No!_" he screamed. "There's no time! Come on, Princess! You must come!"

Peach looked up at him with a grimace on her face. "I can't," she said quietly. "If I leave the Power Stars to be picked up by Bowser, then all will be lost."

With a final jerk, she wrested free from Luigi's grip and tapped the nearby wall at five specific spots. Internal gears whirred as a hidden door slid away, revealing a secret elevator.

"Wait, Peach!" Luigi grabbed for her, but it was too late. She elbowed a button at her side. The hidden door slammed shut, and the elevator shot upward.

Luigi slammed his fists into the wall and roared, roaring not only in fury at Peach's foolhardiness, but also in pure desperation. He turned around and saw that Yoshi was standing behind him, fearfully rubbing his hands together.

"Let's go," Luigi said.

The two darted for the foyer, hoping they could catch Peach before Bowser did. But as they came leaping through the door from the basement, they found that they had leapt into a foyer dominated by Koopas, not the least of which was King Bowser. Luigi balled his fists and prepared himself to stand his ground, but for naught. The Magikoopas promptly did their duty.

Elsewhere, the elevator came to a stop and another secret door opened up, revealing Peach's bedroom. She stepped out, jotted down a quick note on her dresser, and hurried to the great chest. When she opened it up, the light of a dozen suns filled the room. She shielded her eyes from the intensity of it all.

"Don't be afraid of the light," Peach said to herself. "Remember what Luigi said. Don't be afraid to look into the light!"

Yet she squinted her eyes shut, purely out of instinct, as she reached into the chest and grabbed as many Stars as she could. Suddenly she could hear hundreds of rapid footsteps ascending the stairs. Holding the Stars to her chest, she turned away and knelt in the center of the bedroom. Her mind sank into deep concentration, forcing all outside noises away. Softly, she muttered one of the few spells she knew. The footsteps were coming closer, but she ignored them. When she finished the spell, the Stars shrunk to tiny pinpoints of light and scattered, tucking themselves into the farthest, most secure corners of the castle. And that was when her bedroom door was kicked down.

Bowser found the Princess Peach kneeling on her bedroom floor, eyes serenely kept shut. It was not hard to notice that there was also a treasure chest full of Stars in the room, for it had enough light to illuminate the whole world. He pointed at the chest. Ten of his best troops broke formation to surround it. Bowser walked slowly toward the kneeling princess. With a smile, he bent down, placed a claw under her chin, and gently lifted her head. She opened her eyes and looked into his face. She was very calm.

"Princess Peach Toadstool," Bowser said. "Leader of the Mushroom People, Owner of the Mushroom Castle, Keeper of the Power Stars… and now, Prisoner of the Koopa Clan. Know that, when I have possession of these Stars, the defeat of your kingdom will be certain. Know that many Mushroomites will die at my hands. Know that your legacy will end with ruined towns and scarred battlefields."

"I would laugh at your confidence," Peach said, "if your offensive odor didn't keep my mouth shut."

"Charming," Bowser said with a deep-throated growl. "You know, Princess, I couldn't help but notice how much this castle has changed since it was under my ownership. I've especially noticed that stained-glass beauty standing high above the front door. Am I correct in assuming that the window was made in your image?"

Peach nodded. Bowser's claw pressed itself into her chin, drawing a single drop of blood.

"Such vanity." Bowser shook his head. "I would expect that of any matriarch, except you. I would have expected better of you. Well, no matter. If you wish to be suspended high above your people in such a glorious fashion, then so be it. That stained-glass window is now your prison."

The circle of silent Magikoopas raised their wands all together. Then, moments later, every wand dropped to the floor. With a shower of sparks, Peach disappeared.

As soon as the pink figure was gone, a sort of paralysis fell over everyone present. For a moment, the Koopa soldiers wondered if Bowser was in a state of shock. After all, the war was virtually won, and it had come quite suddenly. But it wasn't long before Bowser broke the paralysis as he turned to address his crew.

"Gentlemen," he said, grinning his favorite reptilian grin, "This castle is a fine piece of real estate, and it is ours once again. I think it will make an excellent base of operations."

The soldiers hooted in approval.

"Well then, let's take a tour of our new home!"

Bowser and his troops filed out of the bedroom, having emptied the treasure chest in the corner. Then, beginning with the rooms in the foyer, they began exploring the castle, scrapping whatever furniture they encountered (simply because, with so many Koopas, furniture got in the way). Bowser fiercely commanded them not to vandalize the castle itself, though. He seemed to take a liking to the Mushroom Castle's fine architecture.

After exploring the castle from top to bottom, Bowser and his troops returned to the foyer. He let his Koopa minions chatter among themselves for a minute or so before clearing his throat to signal that it was his turn to talk.

"Peach was rather thorough in her restoration of the castle after she recovered it from me," he said bitterly. "Most of the layout is the same, but now, it's very feminine. There are tapestries and paintings and murals and marble statues. A real man's castle has an abundance of black brick and hot lava. The only 'art' pieces you need are gargoyles."

"Peach has a love for art, it seems," hissed one of the Magikoopas. "Nearly every room has a painting in it."

"And then there's that clock in the top room," said another, shaking his head. "Did you see it? An entire tree grown at the top of a tower and then carved into a clock! How eccentric!"

"Eccentric, indeed!" cried a third. "How about those giant fish tanks in that room over there? Those might be useful, anyway. If we grew lobsters in there, we could have…"

"Listen to you all!" Bowser roared. "Fools! When I say this is our home, I mean it's our fortress! We should turn it into a useful headquarters!"

A Magikoopa cleared his throat. He said, "Excuse me, sire, but I think the paintings, fish tanks and giant clock could all be _very_ useful."

"Explain," said Bowser.

"Well, sire, if we use our magic, combined with the power of these Stars, we could create portals to every one of our strategically critical locations. You could have a portal to the North Pole in one room, while another room leads to the desert."

Bowser was not a magically inclined Koopa; it took a bit more explaining to convince him. But once he was convinced, he found himself considering the idea so clever that it certainly had to be his own. He ordered his Magikoopas to get busy creating the portals, while several divisions of troops were sent out the door and through the main gate to begin the attack on Toad Town. With his new base of operations, Bowser did not hesitate to give multiple orders in multiple locations.

At last, the castle was a fully functioning crossroads of sorts. Bowser could effortlessly reassign soldiers to certain battlefields that needed more support. The rest of his soldiers were sent through the portals, taking the Power Stars with them for safekeeping. But it wasn't long before Bowser began to grow paranoid. He feared that if the castle were retaken, the ease of traveling through the portals would be used against him. So he ordered his Magikoopas to seal every door in the castle, making it so a certain number of Stars (depending on how important the door was) was needed to pass through the door. The Magikoopas did this. It took several hours, but at long last, every door in the castle was securely sealed. Except for one. In his planning and fretting, Bowser forgot one very important door to have sealed. His Magikoopas had left the front door unlocked and completely accessible.


	5. The War Begins

**Chapter Four- The War Begins**

At Bowser's request, a third of the Koopa fighting force left the castle in a rush. The serenity of the Mushroom Kingdom holiday was shattered; every animal that had been enjoying the stillness of the countryside was sent into hiding as several hundred Koopa soldiers scrambled down the path toward Toad Town. Dust clouds were formed so high that they were visible from across the mountains. The tremors caused by the running army were so great that even a sleeping person in the city could feel them.

But as the army descended into Toad Town, the serenity returned to the countryside. Dust resettled, birds returned to their trees, rabbits gradually came back to the flowers. It was when this peace had newly grown that a green pipe appeared from the ground by the castle. A strange whooshing sound echoed from the depths of the pipe; then with a shout, the red-clad Mario came leaping from the opening. The pipe disappeared as soon as the plumber hit the ground.

The trip in the warp pipe was disorienting; Mario took a moment or so to gather his bearings. As he did so, a Lakitu circled overhead with a flashing video camera. He spoke into a headset as he struggled to keep Mario's image centered and in focus.

"Good afternoon. This is Lakitu-1 reporting live from the castle," he said. Of course, it wasn't really live. He didn't have the equipment necessary to transmit the video feed to any television station. And besides, he would have to edit the boring parts out later. "Mario has just arrived on the scene. For those who are not up-to-date, Mario has just returned from a four-month-long journey, in which he and his brother were supposed to retrieve Power Stars. Now that he's back, it appears some Koopas have followed on his heels! We'll follow Mario into the castle, where he is sure to uncover more of this strange series of events. More as this develops." His monologue thus completed, Lakitu-1 settled on a position behind Mario that he judged was far enough.

Mario, meanwhile, took no notice of all this. He was still blinking at the castle, squinting as the sun reflected off the giant stained-glass window above the front door. Mario always considered himself a humble man, so he felt shame at what he was thinking. Yet he couldn't shake the feeling that something was not right. He had just arrived from a long, important journey. Why was no one out here to greet him?

"It's a holiday," he reminded himself aloud. "It's probably against the law to be outside, or something."

He ran down the path, crossing the cobblestone bridge until he was at the front door. There, he prepared himself for a possible surprise party by adjusting his suspenders, wiping the lint from his shirt, and taking a very deep breath. He opened the door and stepped inside. Behind him, very stealthily, Lakitu-1 followed with his video camera.

Inside, there was no surprise party. In fact, there was no one at all. The sound of the door shutting behind him echoed in the foyer. It suddenly occurred to him why the emptiness of the front lawn seemed so strange. The royal guard, _which was always on duty,_ wasn't there.

"Hello?" Mario called.

His echo replied: "Hello?"

He listened for another response. Then he called, "Is anyone home?"

Then a voice came drifting from the depths of the castle. It sounded like his echo at first, but it was deeper, and spoke forcefully.

"Welcome. Nobody's home. Now, _scram_… and don't come back!"

Mario raised an eyebrow. Such a harsh greeting meant that something definitely was amiss. He took a wary step into the foyer, and then his greatest fear began to materialize before his eyes. The specter appeared to be Toad, but was transparent and flickering like a bad television signal.

"Mario!" the specter called, its voice faint. "Mario! Can you hear me?"

Mario blinked at the vision. Words failed him. Suddenly he blurted, "I can hear you."

"Oh, good!" said the Toad specter. "Thank goodness you came, Mario! Bowser just… well, somehow he just walked into the castle with no warning!"

Mario swallowed. He balled his fists and glanced around the empty foyer. "Bowser's here?" he said quietly.

"He seems to have gone," Toad replied. "But… oh, it's awful. He took the Power Stars! Now, I am… well, all of us are… trapped inside the castle walls, the Princess included. I think he got Luigi and Yoshi as well. You must do something, Mario! You're our last hope!"

"Where did Bowser go?" Mario demanded. The severity of the situation was bearing down on him like a bag of coins. His heart pounded and sweat formed on his brow. "How am I supposed to find him?"

"I don't know for sure," Toad said, shaking his head sadly. "All I know is, he found a way to get into the castle quickly, and he definitely has a way of quickly getting out. I think he plans to use the Power Stars to help him win the war. As to where he could have gone, I don't know. The castle is totally deserted."

Mario glanced around the room a second time, looking for secret entrances. He couldn't believe it. How could an entire army sneak into the castle? It was surrounded by a wall and a moat. There was a royal guard dedicated to watching for intruders. How could Bowser's army take everyone by surprise? Furthermore, how could Bowser arrive with such short notice that Peach wouldn't even have time to go into her secret underground shelter? He felt like he was in a nightmare, where everything that was supposed to be going right was inexplicably going wrong.

"There _is_ one thing," Toad said, apparently noticing the anxiety in Mario's eyes. "Bowser had his minions cast spells on various walls and paintings in the castle. You may find a clue there."

Mario nodded. Then he asked, "But Toad, how are you communicating… like this?"

Toad smiled. "I hope this will answer your question," he said. Then the specter disappeared, and in his place was a shining beacon of hope, a Power Star.

Mario slowly approached the shimmering Star. He had seen Power Stars hundreds of times before, but not in a situation like this. He shook his head. It just didn't seem possible that the work of years of searching was suddenly undone. Again, the idea of a surprise party, a terribly cruel prank, came to him. In any case, he needed confirmation. He grabbed the Star and placed it in his back pocket.

He wandered the foyer, trying various doors but finding them all locked. There was a strange symbol on the locks. It appeared to be a Star with a roman numeral engraved on it. Utterly confused and about to lose all hope, he tried one last door, on the castle's east side. Seeing the strange symbol over the knob, he prepared himself for the worst. Then, to his surprise, the symbol disappeared with a flash. He blinked twice, and then tried the knob again. It turned easily, allowing him to push the door open and enter the room.

In the room, Mario felt a strange sort of disappointment. It had formerly been an art gallery, but there was only one painting left. There were no other doors. Then he remembered what Toad had said. This painting, it seemed, could serve as a link in his search for answers. With a hoot, he leapt into the center of the room.

The painting was large, covering most of the wall. It was oil on canvas, colorful yet aged, and surrounded by a beautiful golden frame. The label underneath read "March of the Bombs," followed by the late artist's name. Indeed, the painting showed a line of Bobombs up close, marching to some unknown doom and extraordinarily detailed. Mario was no art critic, but he felt sure that this was a very fine piece.

Then why did Bowser's looters leave this one behind?

Warily, Mario stepped forward, anticipating some attack, even though the room was clearly empty. Up close, he could see minute details in the paint, scratches, and dust specks. There was nothing that looked like the work of some Koopa's spell. But he couldn't be sure; he was unfamiliar with the painting. Unsure of what else to do, he lifted his finger to touch it.

When the smooth surface of his glove touched the rough surface of the canvas, there was an unexpected reaction. The entire painting trembled like a pool of liquid. Then with a cry, Mario felt himself sucked _into_ the painting, past the oil and canvas and into another world entirely, where he was sure to get his confirmation.

When a lone Parabeetle scout spotted the Bobomb army from his perch on the floating island, he forwarded the news without haste. Soon, every last soldier in the Red Bobomb Division of the Mushroom Army was aware of the intruders. The captain gathered his troops in the central trench and let them know the division's options. There weren't many. The RBD was a sort of "kamikaze" portion of the army, designed to illustrate passive resistance. Normally, they were ordered to simply march on their enemy. Then, when the enemy fires cannons or uses fireflowers, the Red Bobombs would ignite and proceed to decimate the enemy with its own firepower. This time, things were different. Both sides were primarily composed of Bobombs. The implications were staggering. In the best scenario, both sides would be destroyed, totally ruining the landscape in a matter of hours.

In a rather hopeful move, the captain decided it would be best to hold off the intruders as long as possible. He sent the Parabeetle scout to warn the Mushroom Kingdom of the invaders. Once the scout was gone, the captain ordered his troops to set up a line of opposition along the first trench. Once the intruders were near, Red Bobombs toward the back began hurtling massive boulders down slopes especially designed for such a use. The intruders began to whistle in distress. The boulders ran among them, crushing all who came in their way. Pieces of black iron flew about in the air, settling among the first line of Red Bobombs.

Crouching behind the barrier of compact dirt and barbed wire, a Red Bobomb recruit named Rob watched curiously as bits of dirt and hot metal sprayed the defensive line. His superior officer stood attentive, listening as the unseen enemy scuttled about the grassy field, assembling into an offensive position. A retaliation attack would come soon. The superior officer turned toward Rob and scowled.

"Remember, boys!" he roared. "Once your fuse is lit, you go charging into the enemy lines, no questions asked!"

"Sure thing, Sarge!" Rob said. He turned around and, with his back turned, performed the biggest eye roll of his life. "I don't believe this. You know, I'm sure there are more glorious ways of fighting than simply charging into the enemy and blowing yourself up."

His companion Bobomb, named Ike, tapped his foot, as if the sounds of exploding bombs and crashing boulders were catchy. "You know what they say," Ike said cheerfully. "If you're going to go out, go out with a bang!"

"I don't suppose there's an alternative," said Rob. He jumped as a hot piece of a black Bobomb landed near his feet. Part of the Bobomb's face could be seen on the smoldering hunk of metal. "Yikes. And if there _is_ an alternative, now would be a great time to know what it is."

On the other side of the trenches, the Bobomb army fell into disarray as boulders came falling among them, seemingly out of nowhere. The Big Bobomb, however, was unconcerned. "War has come earlier than expected," he said, calmly twirling his mustache. "But it has come nonetheless, and that was our main goal. Fire up the cannons."

His trusty soldiers scurried to the wagons and quickly assembled the artillery. The smaller, more mobile cannons were dragged toward the front of the army, while the heavier artillery was set up and adjusted so it had a critical angle.

The Sarge jumped when he heard the first sound of a cannon going off. Everyone in the trench listened as the cannonball whizzed through the air, falling, falling, falling until it was spotted at last by one unlucky Red Bobomb, who just so happened to be right underneath it when it fell to the ground.

Incendiary collided with incendiary; hot metal collided with cold. The first casualty in the RBD indeed went out with a bang. The explosion flowed through the trench and lit up the air; a moment later, there was a blanket of smoke covering the portion of the trench where eight Red Bobombs had been ignited by their own kinsmen's explosion. They ran about madly, following crisscrossing paths with just enough sanity left in them to hear the Sarge's commands. At the words "Charge the enemy lines!" they scurried over the trench wall, and were gone from sight. All those below listened as eight distinct bangs sounded on the other side of the trench. The enemy was more chaotic than ever. Many black Bobombs had certainly been destroyed.

Rob danced about, avoiding the falling debris that was still hot enough to light his fuse. There was another boom, foreshadowing the fall of another cannonball. Three more, then five more followed. There were explosions all around him, some of them igniting his fellow recruits who then ran bravely over the trench wall into their doom.

A moment of silence briefly dominated the warm air, interrupted by a single cannon shot. The cannonball landed close to the trench wall, exploding in the Sarge's face. He sat up and shook the soot off his face, while the fuse atop his head fizzled brightly. He was apparently dazed, the implications just forming together in his mind. Then, when it hit him, he cursed loudly and leapt forward. He exploded just as he crested the wall, ripping a breach in the dirt and sending coils of barbed wire into the air like writhing snakes. Rob was buried up to his face in fresh dirt. But when he shook himself free, he felt a bit of happiness in spite of himself.

On the other side, the Big Bobomb did not take long to figure out that his current strategy was not working. "The Mushroom Kingdom has a Bobomb army of its own?" he wondered aloud, much to the worry of his second-in-command. "How coincidental! Well, no matter. No military strategist ever leaves home without a Plan B, wouldn't you know. It's time we break out the… ho, ho… _water bombs_."

At a nod, his troops went to the stores and opened up the first case of 'water bombs,' or gelatin orbs. They picked up as many of these glistening blue spheres as they could, and then took them to the cannons. After a bit of explanation, they handed the gelatin over to the artillerymen, and returned for more.

The silence was broken again. Rob listened to the familiar sound of whistling cannonballs, and braced himself for the worst. Then, he watched with horror as a cannonball came straight for Ike! He let out a yell, but when the ball collided, he found that he could not have expected anything like this. There was no explosion; Ike was simply knocked back. When he stopped moving, Rob came to his side and saw that his entire body was covered with dripping, clear goop.

"Are you all right?" Rob asked.

"I think so," said Ike with a groan. "Boy, what a hit! I think that rock I landed on did more damage than the cannonball. Say, what's all this?"

"I don't know. But it doesn't look good. I'd better go tell the captain!"

No sooner had Rob turned away than the sound of a true cannonball filled the air. Rob looked to the sky, and among the flying spheres of gelatin, he spotted the ominous black shapes, now coming at a greater frequency. Dirt erupted all around him, leaving hundreds of smoldering craters all around the trench. He made a dash for it, but in his path was a gelatin-drenched Bobomb, panicking and crying for help. A cannonball landed squarely on the Bobomb's head. Rob squeezed his eyes shut and braced himself for the explosion, wondering briefly how the end could have possibly come so soon.

But there was no explosion; the Bobomb simply shattered. The high-strung Rob fell over backwards. When he recovered, he realized that something was wrong. He approached the landing site of the cannonball, where there was hardly a crater. Red fragments circled the landing site, all held together by a mass of the transparent goo.

"So that's what the gelatin does," Rob wondered aloud. "It must be some sort of non-flammable material that turns all bombs into duds!"

There was a sudden commotion at the trench wall behind him. A massive Chomp had literally chewed through dirt and metal until the breach created by the Sarge was now wide enough for the entire enemy army. Barking with excitement, the Chomp bounced through the trench, knocking down sentries and gobbling up red Bobombs in its wake. The red Bobombs, most of whom were drenched in the gelatinous substance, were screaming with terror and scattering without rhyme or reason. Total chaos seized the troops. Only Rob had the sense to look up at the trench wall and see that the black Bobombs, lead by a massive bomb with a crown and a mustache, were walking into the trench with ease.

"Retreat!" he shrieked, running in tight circles. "Retreat! Retreat! Everyone _retreat!_"

There were few who followed him, but it was more than he was aware of. As soon as he uttered the order (despite having no significant rank), he turned tail and dashed away. He heard the frantic barks of a second Chomp, which had spotted something and was bouncing toward it. When Rob felt the thuds rock the ground, he realized with a sickening feeling that the Chomp was after him. He let out another shriek and ran faster, but it would be of no use. In another moment, the Chomp would be upon him.

But there was an explosion, and this time, it saved his life. The explosion caught the Chomp on the underside and blew away half its mass. Its body made a trio of spectacular flips before it came crashing to the ground, ripping up half a ton of turf. Rob shot a glance at the smoking mass of dead metal and wondered if the explosion had been Ike in a brave attempt to save his friend's life. Rob would never know for sure, but he liked to believe it, because he would never see Ike again.

He arrived at the top of the hill in a matter of minutes. He quickly summarized the current situation to the captain, who decided it would be best to fortify the hill and fight to protect it.

Ordinarily, the hill would be a superb strategic point. It was very steep, with only one path leading to the top that wound around the entire circumference of the hill. But there was one problem: they had no cannons. Nevertheless, they fought madly for hours, hurling as many boulders down the hill as their numbers could manage. But the loss was inevitable. The enemy was too numerous, and its weapons were too powerful. After much pleading from his underlings, the captain finally decided to abandon the hill. He and his remaining soldiers scrambled down the backside, evading the enemy's cannonballs as they found the last place they could possibly fortify. They counted themselves lucky in one aspect; the enemy had forgotten a single cannon there. The captain ordered his troops to build a wall as quickly as they could, while he tried to figure out how exactly to work the cannon without setting his own fuse off.

"Captain! Look!" Rob cried.

Everyone looked to the sky. There, they saw the unimaginable: a flying ship! To their dismay, the remaining RBD troops could hear the exuberant cheers of the enemy Bobombs on the other side of the hill. This was it. Their fate had finally been sealed.

It wasn't exactly what they had expected. No cannonballs rained down on them from the flying ship. Rather, an entire regiment of Goombas and Koopa Troopas were being parachuted to the battlefield, to complete the victory. Rob looked past the tumbling Koopa soldiers at the hill, where the rotund form of the Big Bobomb was visible. That sight made him realize that the entire Mushroom Kingdom, not just the RBD, was certainly doomed.

It was at that moment when Mario arrived.

When Mario found himself tumbling into another world, he found himself smack-dab in the middle of a war zone. It was a field not unlike the fields surrounding the Mushroom Castle, yet craters and trenches interrupted its tranquil beauty. There were puffs of smoke and distant thunderclaps, a sign of heavy artillery. He touched down without a clue as to how to get himself to safety. There were bombs everywhere. In fact, it seemed that all this battle entailed _were_ bombs!

Mario felt a heavy object thump him in the head. With a shout, he dived into the ground and rolled into attack position. He had a gut feeling that the object that hit him was a bomb. But though it was a bomb, the collision did not appear to be hostile. The red Bobomb lay where it landed with its face in the dirt and its legs waving wildly in the air. It pulled itself out, shook the dirt off its face, and stared at Mario with two white, blinking eyes.

"You there!" chirruped the Bobomb, apparently without an apology, "You'd better watch out! If you wander around here, you're liable to get plastered by a water bomb! Err, that's what I think they are, anyway. Say, what _are_ you doing out here? We're fighting a really nasty battle right now!"

"To be honest, I don't know," said Mario. He ducked as a nearby hill exploded from an impacting cannonball. "I entered some sort of portal in a painting at the Mushroom Castle. It took me all the way out here."

The Bobomb appeared puzzled. "The Mushroom Castle? Why would there be a portal…" Suddenly, it hit him. "Oh, no. So the castle has been taken? This is bad. This is very bad."

"How in the world do you know about the castle?" Mario cried. "Who are you, and why aren't you trying to blow me up?"

The red Bobomb's mood changed all of a sudden. He jumped and did a little bow. "Private Rob of the Red Bobomb Division at your service!" he said cheerfully. "But you can call us Bobomb Buddies, if you'd like. We're on your side. And apparently, we're the only ones keeping this army of evil black Bobombs at bay."

Mario looked out at the battlefield, where the air was hazy with smoke. Halfway down the field, there was a very tall, and very steep, hill. Atop this hill, he noticed, was a flag bearing the symbol of the Koopa Clan. Suddenly, an idea occurred to him. "I came here looking for the missing Power Stars," he said to Rob. "And I think that this may be a place where I can find some. Do you have any ideas?"

Rob thought about it for a moment, and then turned to look at the hill. "You see that hill?" he said. "On top of it is the Big Bobomb. He's the king of the enemy army, and one of Bowser's main minions. If Bowser had the Power Stars, he'd almost certainly give some to him for safekeeping. We Bobomb Buddies can't go and try and retake the hill, because a single spark can set us off! Besides, none of us is really very athletic. But you… you look like you'd be able to handle yourself out there."

Mario squinted at the sky. "Just run to the top of that hill, huh?" he said.

"Yep!" said Rob. "But, ah, remember. Watch your step!"

"Can do."

Mario turned and spotted a path that ran straight through the middle of the fray. He kicked the dirt, adjusted his red cap, and took off running.


	6. A Power Harnessed

**Chapter Five- A Power Harnessed**

Bowser strolled the castle's empty halls, glancing proudly at the magical paintings he and his minions had set up in strategic locations. He enjoyed his new fortress. It was like a private museum, and its vast emptiness evoked feelings of barrenness and isolation, which made the great Koopa king feel very nostalgic. But most important of all, the magic portals granted him a convenience that most military minds only dreamed of. At a whim, he could walk from his fortress in the Artic to a battlefield in the south, as well as transfer much needed reinforcements with little delay. He felt like the war was already over; in fact, he was trying to resist the urge to break out the fireflower cigar he had saved for the imminent victory. He entered the room with the great mirror, examined himself and stroked the red hairs on his head, then looked at the cigar. With a huff, a flame leapt from his mouth and lit the end of the cigar. The _war_ was over, he reasoned. What was left now was a simple reconstruction campaign. It was all clean up.

With a puff of his cigar and a gaze into the mirror that sank past his reflection, Bowser recalled the sweet moment when he encountered Luigi and Yoshi, briefly, before they were imprisoned. They had been suspended in the air in a rather ridiculous manner, while Bowser gazed up at them, laughing from the depths of his abdomen.

"Well, if it isn't Luigi, and his fat, little pack-animal!" boasted Bowser. "You know, I got this castle very easily. You hardly put up a fight! That's a shame. I'm almost disappointed. I'm sure the Princess would be, too, if she weren't imprisoned in a sort of netherworld."

"Mario will come," Luigi said defiantly. Yoshi looked at him, but appeared to be too frightened to say anything.

"I don't doubt that," responded Bowser, "but you see, _I_ have the Power Stars now. And with all that power put to use, the castle is now a labyrinth of sealed doors and illusionary traps. I can't _wait _to see Mario frantically try to catch up with me. Sure, Mario will come. But don't count on him getting past _this._"

Bowser held up a single Power Star. It was light enough for him to balance it by a single tip on his finger. Luigi stared at the bright relic for a long time, as if unsure whether to trust his eyes. Then he turned his head away and closed his eyes. The Stars were lost. The Princess, it seemed, had been captured for nothing.

"I'm sure you'd like to know what's next," said Bowser, after putting the Star away. "And I can tell you, at the very least. What happens next is the complete destruction of the Mushroom Kingdom. I will attack it from every possible end, and it will all come from this castle. Unfortunately, you will not be able to see that happen. I have arranged very appropriate prisons for you both, and you will remain there until I feel like letting you out. So long!"

Bowser had an escort of troops lead each of them into certain doors, where they would each eventually be taken to a magic portal. He watched them go with a grin.

With a new boost in morale, Bowser and his troops made quick runs through each of the portals. In each location, he gave a handful of Stars to the one in command and trusted them to put the Stars in secure places. He remembered Hazy Maze Cave the best. When the Snifit foreman received six very bright Power Stars, his joyous expression could be seen even with the gas mask.

"Those are not yours," Bowser said sternly. "You must find safe places for them. If you even think about embezzling those precious Stars, I will make sure that you suffer every worldly anguish before you are killed."

"Don't worry about these," the foreman said with a giggle. "In a place like this, you'd have no problem finding a good hiding spot!"

He next traveled to the Dire, Dire Docks, which branched off from a lake that no one else in the world even knew existed. It was then he learned that the submarine _Chieftain_ was already patrolling the seas. He was glad, albeit slightly disappointed at not being able to see the submarine fully functional. He dropped off a handful of Stars and departed to the next location.

Most of the rest of the Stars he delivered from aboard his flying ship. Dubbed _Chieftain II,_ it was twice as long as a normal flying ship, and thrice as equipped. The Paragoomba named Mercury showed him around the ship, boasting about its many unprecedented features. Bowser followed along with bemused interest. He was most concerned with the fascinating view he had of the countryside, which he vowed would soon be his. Along with the mountains, in which he had several military bases, the entire kingdom's terrain would surely be his.

He recalled all this in the mirror room, smoking his pipe and enjoying those recent memories as one enjoys a book. When the memory reel was finished, he smiled at his reflection. He looked down at his cigar and discovered that he had burned away the entire length. With a shrug, he popped the cigar butt in his mouth and swallowed it whole, sighing with relief as it warmed his innards.

The door to the mirror room burst open, and a tiny Koopa troopa scurried inside. It jumped in place and waved its arms, frantically begging for Bowser's attention as if it didn't already have it. "King Bowser! King Bowser!" the little Koopa squeaked. "Something has happened! Something… very, very… goodness! Have you burned someone alive in here?"

Bowser looked at the pile of ashes at his feet. He blew it into the messenger's face, then folded his arms and tapped his foot. "What do you want?" he growled.

The little Koopa coughed and wiped the soot out of its eyes. "Well, err, Mario has penetrated the castle, my lord. And he…"

"I know Mario's in the castle," Bowser snapped. "Did you come to insult my intelligence?"

"Um, no," stammered the Koopa. "He's penetrated the castle, and… uh, recovered a Power Star."

Bowser's eyes narrowed to slits. He furrowed his fiery red eyebrows. He opened his jaws slightly, just enough to allow one razor-sharp tooth to slip out. The Koopa stared up at him with fearful eyes; its knees banged together. Then with a shriek, it retreated into its shell.

Bowser ignored the Koopa. He stormed out of the room, slamming the door shut behind him. The Koopa peeked out of its shell, glancing from side to side to see if the giant Koopa was still there. All of a sudden, it caught sight of its reflection in the mirror, and with a gasp, it scurried out the door.

* * *

Luigi walked at the tip of a Koopa's spear, a prisoner in the place that had been his sanctuary for so many years. The red Koopa troopa poked and jabbed, eager to incite rage in Luigi so it could get some actual combat experience. But Luigi simply ignored it.

"Bowser's gonna be king of the Mushroom Kingdom, you know," the Koopa blurted suddenly, as they came into the hall to the courtyard. "And when that happens, you're gonna be shining my shell."

"I hope that does happen. Then I'll be able to see myself in your shell as I come down on it," Luigi retorted.

The Koopa only snickered. It kicked open the door to the courtyard and pushed Luigi outside.

"What are we doing here?" Luigi asked, blinking at the sun.

"It's a surprise." The Koopa snickered some more and gave Luigi another jab.

Luigi turned his gaze toward the fountain in the center of the courtyard. This was the secret entrance to the shelter below, this simple sculpture of a Star. Below the Star, there was a plaque. Its words were entirely unintelligible, and could only be understood by those who knew what it said. Oddly enough, it was these words, spoken verbally, that were the magic words to open the entrance.

He remembered the day he and Mario had finished building the fountain. It was a beautiful day, and Peach had come into the courtyard with her light summer dress and pink umbrella. She looked at the Mario brothers, covered in sweat and grime, and laughed. It was not an insulting laugh, and the Mario brothers did not take it as such. Peach always marveled at how different they were from her. Their down and dirty manners were what made her love them so very much.

"Your fountain is finished, Princess." Mario said. He removed his cap, wiped his brow with his sleeve, and pulled the cap over his eyes.

Peach looked at the shining new sculpture, a large Star with bold tips. Her eyes trailed down to the wide basin, which the plumbers had filled with water from the castle. "Does it work?" she wondered.

"Does it work?" Luigi exclaimed. "Princess, remember: we are plumbers first, construction workers second! Of course it works! Hey, Mario, turn it on, will ya?"

Mario shook his head as he kneeled down and removed a tile from the side of the base. "Yeesh," he grumbled. "With an order like that, you'd think _he_ was the dominant brother. Oh, well. Here we go!"

Mario dipped his hand into the hole and twisted a switch. Some hidden mechanism was put into place, the complexities of which Peach had no understanding. All she knew was that it worked; a swishing sound came from the depths of the fountain as water rushed to the top, dispersing into a cascade of falling drops. The liquid continued to rise. The fountain's flow, a blue geyser sparkling in the sunlight, had been established.

"Oh, it's lovely," gasped the Princess. "It makes the courtyard really worthwhile. You can hardly tell now that this castle used to belong to Bowser."

The Mario brothers did not take the reference to Bowser lightly. "Princess," Mario said, "I'm glad you like the fountain, but it has much more significance that just decoration."

Peach didn't seem to be listening. She had walked to the side of the fountain, and was staring up at the gray Star's spraying tip. She looked down into the basin, into her rippling reflection. She removed a glove and dipped a hand into the cool water, drew it out and rubbed her fingers together.

A gentle hand was placed on her arm. She looked into Mario's eyes, which appeared entirely too solemn for a day like this. "Princess, you must understand us. This is very important. Below this fountain is a shelter that we, and some workers from Toad Town, have been designing for the past year and a half."

Peach frowned. "What?" she said softly.

"It's part of the castle's new security system," Luigi put in. "And it's for your safety. We do not know when Bowser might strike next, but we want to be prepared. This shelter has several entrances and exits. We need you to know what they are."

Mario nodded. "We need you to know everything about the castle's security system. I know you want to show strength as the leader of this nation, and I applaud that. But there are times when you would need to retreat, and this is strictly for those times."

At a nod from Mario, Peach turned to look again at the fountain. Suddenly, it had new meaning. The Star's expression meant something else. And the plaque… she discovered, then, that in her fascination with the fountain's splendor, she had not noticed the plaque underneath it. She bent to read the engraved words, but in the sun's brightness, could not make them out.

"This entrance's security is based on magic," Mario explained. "Those words are enchanted. They mean nothing to those who don't know what they mean. All you need to do to get into the shelter is say the words on the plaque."

Peach turned toward him with a puzzled expression on her face. "And those are…?" she asked.

Luigi cleared his throat. He took a step away from the statue, and exchanged nods with his brother. Then, in a stern voice, he proclaimed, "The Eternal Star, Reveal Your Secret."

The geyser trickled to a stop. Water was drained from the basin, and the sculpture itself split in two and fell to the sides, revealing a dark hole. Curious, Peach stepped into the empty basin and looked into the hole. There was a platform made of metal mesh, which she concluded was an elevator.

"Those are the magic words," Mario said.

Peach looked up at the sky. "The Eternal Star," she whispered. "Reveal Your Secret."

Mario nodded. "Remember them well, Princess."

Jolted from his reflection by a jab with a spear, Luigi looked over his shoulder at the distant fountain, its features wearing away, its purpose now long departed. He squeezed his eyes shut, disappointed by the Princess's final act of defiance by unsuccessfully trying to save the Stars.

"Hey, you," the Koopa said gruffly. "Stand over here."

Luigi looked up. The Koopa's finger was pointed at a spot of grass. Nearby was a small cage with thin, closely-knit bars. He walked over and stood with his feet apart, a short distance from the cage.

"What is this?" he wondered. "A bird cage?"

"More or less," said the Koopa. "Farewell!"

A swift kick to the behind sent Luigi flying forward. He felt as if he would soar over the cage and hit the nearby wall; rather, the cage began to grow around him. The bars grew fat, the gaps became wide, and a small object that had seemed insignificant before was now a huge mansion. The giant world above disappeared, and all there was in the sky was a sea of black clouds. He slipped through the bars, flying as fast as ever straight toward the mansion.

With a cry, Luigi smashed through a yellow window and came to a landing on hard floorboards. He coughed forcefully as dust filled the air. He stood up, rubbing his eyes against the darkness. His knees began to shake. With no warning, he had been propelled into his worst nightmare: a dark, abandoned house.

Childish laughter echoed from the darkness. Luigi spun in circles, looking for a sign. His ragged breaths came out as white clouds of mist in the cold air.

"Welcome… to our house…" The voices called playfully from every direction. Luigi gritted his chattering teeth.

"Hello?" he shouted with a shaky voice. "Is anyone there?"

Laughter enveloped him again. Suddenly, he felt a current of air sweep his left side. He spun with his fists in front of his face, but was met only by more laughter. The air brushed against him again. He turned around, but by now, was completely disoriented. With a moan, he backed away into further darkness, hoping that the voices would fade as he went.

Then the laughter stopped. He paused, turning his head, trying to pick up any noises, but there were none. It seemed as if he were alone. Then a white light began to grow behind him. He jumped a half circle, and found himself face-to-face with a ghost.

"Boo."

His scream echoed throughout the mansion, as did the laughter that ensued, and all noise reached past the bars of the cage into the courtyard of the castle.

* * *

Golden sand dunes rolled beneath the flying form, separated from the blue sky by a shimmering line on the horizon. For miles, there had been nothing but sand to be seen. But the flying form was in search of something, and it would not stop until it found it.

"Just a little farther in this direction," the vulture cawed. "I can _smell_ it… ah yes, I do."

Yoshi, whose thin arms were held in the vulture's talons, hung limply above the shifting desert, trying his best to blink the sand out of his eyes. He had never really minded the wind before. But in the desert, he quickly discovered, the slightest breeze could lift enough sand into the sky to make a flower wither. Being imprisoned didn't seem so bad now… as long as it meant he could be out of that horrible desert!

He looked up at the vulture. The blazing sun turned the vulture's big head into a sharp-featured shadow, and it made the neck a twisted, dead branch. He swallowed hard. This was the first time he had seen a vulture. He hoped it would be the last.

"So," Yoshi rasped. The dry desert air had irritated his throat. "You say Bowser had you take me all the way out here in exchange for some raw meat? Meaning… you eat meat?"

"That's right," said the vulture.

Yoshi swallowed again. "Does that mean, ah, you could eat me, if you wanted to?"

"Yes, if I wanted to. But, you see, there's something about rotten meat that makes it special. It tastes _sweeter_ than fresh meat. Maybe it's because it's so satisfying to be able to eat something you didn't have to kill. Or maybe it's like wine… it gets better as it ages. In any case, no, I wouldn't eat you if I had to kill you. But if you happened to die out here, then… wait, here we are."

Without warning, the vulture began to dive. The drop was so quick that it made Yoshi feel like his stomach went into his throat. He yelped, and struggled to steal a glance at the destination. It was a pyramid, surrounded by quicksand pits. The vulture stopped its descent above the pyramid and hovered there, waiting for something.

From the shroud of dust hovering over the ground, a flying Shyguy lifted itself up until it was level with the vulture. It gave the horrid bird a quick salute, thankful that its mask hid its look of repulsion.

"I welcome you on behalf of King Bowser to 'Shifting Sand Land,'" the Shyguy said. "I take it this is… the prisoner?"

"Yes, yes," croaked the vulture. "Now, would I have to take the prisoner all the way back, in case he was released? That's a very bothersome trip, you know."

"No, no," said the Shyguy with a wave of his hand. "I spoke with the king, and even though the castle's out of paintings to hex, he agreed to create a portal _somewhere_ in the castle."

"Good," said the vulture. "Now, where's my reward?"

The Shyguy shrugged. Again thankful for the mask, he flew down below the shroud of dust and came up with a gigantic flayed leg clouded with buzzing flies. He tossed it toward the vulture, which caught it in its beak.

"Ah… delicious!" cried the vulture. With that, it released its grip on Yoshi, who fell shrieking into a chute on top of the pyramid, and faded into darkness.

* * *

Elsewhere in the world, the Mushroom Kingdom was beginning to crumble. Toad Town had already fallen. Caught completely by surprise on its most beloved holiday, Toad Town had only time to assemble a small militia before it was overwhelmed by Koopa troops. Led by the mayor himself, the militia took up whatever arms it could. Most wielded blunt objects like shovels and broomsticks. Others were lucky enough to get their hands on Mushrooms and Fireflowers.

As Koopas flooded the town square, the mayor turned to his men and gave a few short words of advice. "Aim for their heads if you can," he said. "If you can't, try to throw yourself on their shells. The shells don't crack easily, but they don't respond well to a sudden strong hit. That usually knocks them clear out of their shells. Remember: we are not trying to win this battle. We simply want to buy the others time enough to escape into the mountains."

The others nodded. Many of them were only boys, and very frightened. The oldest, an apprentice baker, tried to offer the young ones words of encouragement. The mayor gave the baker a nod, then turned toward the Koopas.

The battle was to be decided solely on sheer number. The Mushroom militia might have won otherwise; a good number of Koopas had been defeated. But for every Koopa squashed, another three took its place. Then when reinforcements came from above, the mayor had no choice but to retreat.

The retreat into the mountains was cut off. A flying ship landed in a narrow valley, and out came hundreds more Koopa soldiers. Many helpless civilians tried to scramble up the steep mountainsides, but were cut down. When the survivors were rounded up, the flying ship departed for the base in the Artic, where they would be kept prisoner.

Another flying ship, meanwhile, went farther into the mountains, seeking the next town to destroy. It happened across a place called Choco Hills. The town was caught completely by surprise, even more so than Toad Town. Nevertheless, the flying ship attacked brutally. Cannonballs rained down on the streets, destroying buildings and smashing windows. This bombardment did not last long. The captain of the flying ship noticed a dam nearby, and acted on a sudden and sadistic idea. With a couple of shots from its cannons, the flying ship destroyed the dam, and the town was quickly flooded.

Miles from the flooded valley, a submarine was launching torpedoes on a sleepy dock called Jolly Roger Bay, obliterating whole ships and even dockside houses. These targets were of no military value, but the captain, in need of battle and receiving none, decided to terrorize the seashore.

He soon got his wish when reports came in of a sole ship from the Mushroom Navy making a stand. It had been attacking the flying ships, desperate to take back the Power Stars. It had actually succeeded in destroying a flying ship, and was believed to have recovered several of the Stars.

The captain responded by suggesting for the remaining flying ships to chase the Mushroom ship into Jolly Roger Bay. They did so; soon after, the Mushroom ship emerged from the fog, smoking black from severe damage. The captain ordered for a miniature torpedo to be launched. This half-powered torpedo glided through the water into the ship's underside. From the periscope, the captain watched as the torpedo blew a hole in the side of the ship. He smiled as it began to sink to the floor of the bay.

In the Mushroom Kingdom, it appeared as if all attempts to resist the Koopa army were futile. But appearances could be deceiving…

* * *

The Big Bobomb watched the battle between the Bobomb armies from atop the hill. The battlefield was scorched and filled with frenzy fighting, yet the outcome was clear. The day would undoubtedly belong to the black Bobombs.

He looked down at the Star in his hand and chuckled. He remembered the feeling of sheer joy he had experienced when he received that Star. Just as things had been going so well, a flying ship dropped from out nowhere, with reinforcements and a secret weapon that was to die for. The Paragoomba, named Mercury, had dropped a treasure chest at the Big Bobomb's feet.

"Hullo! What's all this?" the Big Bobomb had exclaimed.

The Paragoomba had grinned and said, "It's a holiday, you know. That chest is Bowser's gift to you." And then the flying ship had departed.

The Big Bobomb had eagerly opened the treasure chest, only to be blinded by the light of six Power Stars. Quickly, he gave five to his minions to be put in safe places, but kept the sixth one firmly in his grip. It felt like a good luck charm… as if he even needed good luck.

He snapped back to the present, dropped his hand and looked up at the sky. He raised an eyebrow, listening. Then with a cry of outrage, he stomped a half-circle and looked to see who was walking across the top of the hill. It was a little human, with a red cap and a black mustache.

"Who the blazes are _you_?" the Big Bobomb said.

The little human stopped walking and put its hands on its hips. "Who am I?" he cried. "It's me, Mario! Who are you?"

The Big Bobomb's fists shook at his sides. His innards boiled with rage and his mustache twitched. Such insolence! Such lack of respect in front of a figure of royal status! "Who am _I?_" he roared. "I am the Big Bobomb! Lord of All Blasting Matter! King of ka-booms the world over! How _dare_ you scale this hill and challenge me!"

"Your reign is over," Mario said. "I'm taking the Star, one way or another."

"A duel, then?" said the Big Bobomb. "Very well. I would have required it of you anyway, for simply disrespecting my authority. Let it be a match of power. Brute force, if you will. Could you knock me off this royal turf? I think you cannot!"

The Big Bobomb stomped his foot, causing the ground to shake. Mario quickly recovered his footing, then stood waiting for his enemy to make the first move. The enemy took the gambit, and began running toward the plumber. But with all his weight, the Big Bobomb traded his speed away for power; his run was merely a heavy trot. Mario waited for him to come near. Then when the Big Bobomb took a swing, Mario dodged and flipped nimbly over the enemy's shiny head.

The Big Bobomb grunted in surprise. He tried to turn his massive body around, but soon found that his feet weren't touching the ground at all! The human had actually _lifted_ him off the ground!

"Why, you!" the Big Bobomb stammered. "Unhand me! This isn't proper fighting, it isn't!"

"You didn't forbid it," Mario grunted. "And pitting a gargantuan bomb against a tiny human isn't proper fighting, anyway. Here we go!"

Mario threw the massive bomb forward. It wasn't a great throw, but the momentum was enough to be fatal. The Big Bobomb crashed into the ground with a heavy thump, shaking the hill down to its foundations. He howled in pain as his metal body cracked. Mario watched his fallen enemy, gasping for air and sweating bullets. He waited for the enemy to stand up. But when it didn't, he realized that the battle was over.

"I can't believe it," the Big Bobomb moaned. "You've defused the great Bobomb king. It is hard to believe that what appeared to be a victory from the beginning turned out to be a defeat in the end. Nevertheless, I will be true to my word. Here is the Star, as promised. But know this: if you plan to defeat Bowser, it will not be this easy. I am merely… a minion."

Then the Big Bobomb detonated, blowing bits of his body all over the battlefield and signaling his soldiers that the outcome was different now. When the smoke cleared, Mario saw the Power Star, resting in the resulting crater. Blackened by ash and filthy from the battle, he walked into the light of the golden relic and retrieved it in the name of the Princess.

From the ground, Rob and the captain of the RBD watched as the giant bomb exploded atop the hill. Rob shook his head and whistled.

"Amazing," he said. "It looks like we're not done for after all. I guess that explains why they call him Super Mario!"


End file.
